My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 677: Chapter 677: Stepping on Me!!!

Seeing Mr. Songshan’s reputation rising, he felt a bit anxious.

It’s like being a scholar in the same year, where others passed as rank-holders but he did not.

Therefore, he planned to strive to gain the favor of Prince Qi.

”To Prince Qi, it has been said since ancient times, when peace is approaching, the road of speech is open; when chaos is nearing, it is obstructed. This issue is significant, and I am willing to give it a try. But to whom should we submit our petitions?”

Prince Qi indeed looked over and asked, ”What insights do you have?”

Lin Ziqi immediately replied respectfully, ”I dare not claim great insight. I am studying at the Imperial College and preparing for next year’s civil exams. Many present are from different schools, and submitting names jointly to each respective academic official is quite difficult.”

Submitting separately is tantamount to not submitting at all.

This was hard to say, but everyone understood.

Prince Qi became a bit serious: ”What do you propose?”

Lin Ziqi smiled and said, ”I am Qin Jijiu’s son-in-law and related by marriage to the Dingbei Marquis. If those present trust me, we can submit jointly, and I will deliver it to Prince Qi, who can then submit it to the Emperor. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

The crowd uttered an ”oh,” and their gazes at Lin Ziqi changed.

Lin Ziqi looked pleased with himself, waiting for Prince Qi to speak.

Logically, Prince Qi should agree and go with the flow, but Prince Qi instead glanced playfully at the silent Dingbei Marquis beside him, smilingly declining: ”I accompanied my two sisters here tonight for entertainment and did not intend to get involved in this matter. However, as what you mentioned is significant for the court’s discourse, it cannot be taken lightly. Why not submit the joint petition to the Crown Prince?”

”Hiss...”

Submit to the Crown Prince?

Lin Ziqi thought perhaps he misheard and looked at Prince Qi with a strange expression.

The Black Wind Village leader quietly said to his companion, ”This sycophant really knows how to climb upward. It’s one thing if others do it; who does he think he is, using me as a stepping stone to reach Prince Qi and the Crown Prince?”

Even Mr. Songshan is passable, how dare Lin Junren?

!!!

The companion immediately asked, ”Do you want to teach him a lesson?”

The Black Wind Village leader shook his head.

”Wait until he’s alone. Don’t act recklessly now. Judging from his arrogant demeanor, he doesn’t seem talented. The National Academy’s Sacrificial Officer found such a son-in-law, probably as hollow as an empty stomach. These people merely occupy positions without merit.”

The companion nodded in agreement and said, ”How many in the world can be as learned and skilled as you, big brother? These scholars may talk grandly, but they’re fearful and useless. Can those of us who’ve seen blood even take them seriously?”

The Black Wind Village leader agreed sincerely, but he chastised verbally, ”They might be pupils of the Emperor someday; we should respect them, if not for anything else, at least for the one on the Jinluan Hall.”

His loyalty to the Emperor almost overflowed.

”Yes, yes, yes,” the companion quickly agreed, silently regretting his thoughtlessness.

The leader’s greatest pride was having ten more years of scholarly study than his brothers, and he would not allow them to look down on scholars.

How did he end up revealing his true thoughts carelessly?

The leader might criticize scholars but wouldn’t allow others to, especially his brothers.

He must be careful in the future.

Lin Ziqi stammeringly said, ”I have no connection with the Crown Prince...”

Prince Qi laughed, ”What’s the harm? The Crown Prince is the heir apparent, this matter concerns national order and chaos. If you deliver it to the Eastern Palace personally, why wouldn’t he accept it? If the Crown Prince refuses, you can then come find me.”

In broad daylight, he distanced himself completely.

Even though doing it well could win the hearts of scholars, what if it goes wrong?

Besides, Father has long favored someone else, who knows how he’ll use Grand Ancestor’s teachings to suppress him.

The same petition submitted by the Crown Prince and him would yield different results.

This evasion made no one see him as lacking responsibility; rather, they whispered that the Crown Prince was frail yet dearly loved by the Emperor, while Prince Qi, intelligent and handsome, could only be a leisurely prince.

Prince Qi, composed and indifferent to their gossip.

In fact, as long as these rumors benefited him, he wouldn’t care.

Lin Ziqi had no choice but to say, ”I thank Prince Qi in advance for the scholars.”

Hearing this, Prince Qi lightly said, ”It’s a minor matter, as long as your reasoning is sound and the petition feasible, it would benefit the court. As a prince, how can I not consider the court.”

A few words, and he won the goodwill of the crowd.

Before them stood a prince genuinely concerned about the Daxing state yet knowing discretion.

Unfortunately...

The Black Wind Village leader snorted twice from his nose, and his companion asked, ”Big brother, doesn’t Prince Qi seem more...”

Before finishing, the Black Wind Village leader brought a finger to his lips.

The companion had to swallow the words that reached his lips reluctantly.

Currently, the people in the village were divided into three factions, debating endlessly every day.

One faction sought an imperial pardon, aiming for government positions to secure titles for their wives and descendants;

Another faction simply wanted to hold Black Wind Village and live freely as mountain lords;

The third faction, connected to Duke Chengen and the Empress, aimed to leverage this for benefits, believing an imperial pardon or mountain life were just facades.

If this continued, the Black Wind Village might disband; big brother brought them down the mountain to complete two significant tasks alongside welcoming back Zhi Guang and others.

One was to investigate the court situation.

After all, the leaders connected to Duke Chengen and the Empress had aged. The Crown Prince had been frail for years without recovering, making even reliance on this link unstable.

The second was to attempt a meeting with the Emperor to discuss a potential pardon.

As for the few brothers who originally wanted to be mountain lords, they dared not defy big brother’s wishes.

Big brother looked down on Prince Qi, the Crown Prince was frail, so only King Jin and King Tushan remained...

With each having their own thoughts, Lin Ziqi had approached Marquis Gu: ”Tonight at the grand review, Marquis is bound to shine...”

Princess Fuyun had already exited the garden party, her entourage of attendants and maids all carried exquisite lanterns, full of smiles, squeezing through to ask: ”Marquis Gu, Mr. Songshan has been speaking for a while, why hasn’t Young Master Nantang appeared yet?”

Lin Ziqi quickly fell silent.

Marquis Gu thought for a moment and then replied, ”Perhaps Mr. Songshan has not finished speaking yet.”

Princess Fuyun sighed softly.

”You see, when we came, the road was crowded with noble ladies’ carriages, surrounding here tightly. If not for Marquis escorting us, and Treasure Bead assisting, we could hardly have passed. These people are all here for Young Master Nantang and have been waiting for quite a while with true sincerity.”

Although Marquis Gu felt proud, he also somewhat uneasy, thinking, ”Why is everyone drawn to my wife? I haven’t been close to her for ages.”

His face showed helplessness, ”I’ll send someone to urge him again; if it comes to that, I’ll go invite him personally.”